Existing lab tests designed to ensure emission limits are met have been shown to be inadequate and this is why the UK has secured a tough new Europe-wide ‘real driving emissions’ test. From next year, vehicles will have to meet emissions limits in real driving conditions across a wide range of typical operating temperatures. This will improve consumer confidence in manufacturers. The UK will be working to ensure that the new rules for real driving emissions and type approval are robust, deliver the expected outcomes and that manufacturers behave consistently.

In May, the government will present newly published research to European Research for Mobile Emission Sources, the body responsible for collating vehicle emission data, to inform their updated emissions factors later this year. This will ensure EU-wide emission factors more accurately reflect the difference between real world driving and laboratory test conditions.

The Secretary of State for Transport, Rt. Hon Patrick McLoughlin MP, said: “Our tests published today have not detected evidence of manipulation of emissions lab tests as used by the VW Group by any other car manufacturer.

“The tests do show the widespread use of engine management systems to prevent engine damage which can lead to higher emissions in real world temperature conditions cooler than those in the approved lab test.

“The UK has been leading in Europe in pushing for real world emissions tests which will address this problem. Real world tests will be introduced next year to reduce harmful emissions, improve air quality and give consumers confidence in the performance of their cars.

“Following the Volkswagen emissions scandal the whole of the automotive industry must work hard to restore public trust by being transparent about the systems they employ and advancing plans for introducing cleaner engine technology.”